A video from the Institute of Public Affairs, a conservative think tank, calling for the end of lockdown in Australia is being mocked on social media despite calls for Australia to reconsider its current restrictions.

In the footage posted to the social media accounts of the think tank, policy director Gideon Rozner has called for the “sensible” reopening of churches, restaurants, cafes, bars and community sport.

“Our response to the coronavirus outbreak has decimated our society, ruined thousands of lives, turned Australia into a police state and, worst of all, put hundreds of thousands of Australians out of work,” Rozner says.

He says that it’s time for state and federal governments to come up with a plan to win the lockdown and let people start rebuilding their lives.

“Do it safely with appropriate social distancing measures in place, but do it now, not in six months, not in one month. Now, because Australians were not meant to live like this, and we cannot allow this to go on any longer,” he says.

“Enough is enough. It is time to begin to end this lockdown now.”

Many were quick to condemn the footage, saying that reopening cafes and restaurants would endanger the lives of Australians.

“Are you are satirical performer of some kind? Or just a complete imbecile? Shut up, and stop endangering lives, you clown. In a suit,”  actor Sam Neill tweeted.

The IPA is not the only group who thinks the restrictions in Australia has gone too far. Australian National University infectious diseases physician Peter Collignon also believes that the restrictions in NSW and VIC have gone too far.

“Not letting people go outside and sit on a park bench, for instance; how will that stop transmission?” he told the ABC this morning.

However, he doesn’t think Australia should re-open pubs, clubs and dine-in restaurants until September or October at least.

University of Melbourne’s epidemiologist Tony Blakely agrees.

“If we just open the doors and went back to normal it would be an ugly zone,” he said to  news.com.au.

“We would be in Italy’s zone and New York’s zone where their health resources are overstretched. It’s a dumb idea.”

“I can’t see us opening pubs and cafes again until we get a vaccine (in about 18 months),” Prof Blakely said.

“I can’t quite see that working but I could be wrong.”

He wasn’t surprised by the IPA’s push for an end to the lockdown.

“These are extraordinary times and the government has been taking action without parliamentary oversight because they needed to move fast,” he said.